Page 9 of Rogue If You Want To
Okay.
My wolf’s running commentary increased my anxiety as I careened around corners, leaving dust and churned-up gravelbehind me. But when I made yet another sharp turn, there was a sign that read “Stoney River” that had me breathing easier, knowing I was about to meet shifters.
I followed the rough track that was lit up on either side by solar lights, and when I arrived, Stoney River was ablaze with more solar lights. I ran my gaze over old cabins and new ones, while some were being constructed. There was a large vegetable garden, an orchard, and what appeared to be a barn and a chicken coop. A small group were eating at a table about a hundred yards away.
I pulled off the road, and before the car had stopped moving, I was out and shouting for help. People stopped what they were doing and two men strode toward me, one much older than the other. Mr. Garrison was the only shifter I’d met and he was a wolf like me. One of the men was a wolf which put me at ease, but the other I couldn’t fathom his hidden identity.
“My friend… he needs help.”
The older one put a hand in front of the other as if he was in charge, but his expression changed and his posture shrank, almost as if he remembered he wasn’t the boss. Or I supposed, the Alpha.
“There’s no clinic for miles.”
“Shifter. He’s a shifter, and an animal attacked him.”
I knew the moment both men picked up my scent and along with it, human scents. Mr. Garrison had taught me scent had many layers. What I’d said galvanized the men, and they peered inside the car. They spoke in low voices about who had done this.
“I’m Creven, the Alpha.”
“Auden,” the older guy said in a gruff voice.
“He’s my mate, but we just met. He doesn’t know who I am.” I was almost on my knees, pleading with them to help Otto.
“You’ve seen his injuries.” Creven had one hand on the car door.
I nodded, but I didn’t want to talk. Otto needed help. “He can’t shift. Maybe you have… you know… code words to get the message through.”
A man with a small child on his hip appeared in the doorway of the largest cabin, and I caught his wolf scent.
Creven pursed his lips and explained there was no code to help Otto shift. “What can you tell me about his wounds? Did he say anything?”
I shook my head. “Just his name. But he’s lost a lot of blood.”
“This was no accident,” Auden said as he glanced around and stared down the mountain.
“I agree. They were determined to hurt him.” I was flapping my hands around because nothing was happening other than us talking, and that wouldn’t save my mate.
“Not hurt.” Creven paused as if he was considering his next words carefully. “They wanted him dead.”
Of course somewhere deep in my mind I’d considered that, I must have, but it was buried, and I didn’t want to hear that. I covered my ears like a small child about to have a tantrum.
“And when they discover he’s not, or they return to dispose of the body, what then?” Auden wasn’t speaking to me but to Creven.
Shit. They’d search for him, maybe follow his scent, and they’d come here. I’d led my mate’s attacker or attackers right to him. But they would have followed us wherever we went and now I’d involved the Stoney River people.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go.”
Creven put a hand on my shoulder. “We understand what it’s like to be alone and not have the safety of a pack to back you up.”
Wow. They got all that from my scent. These guys could maybe ferret out the attacker.
Auden asked what I knew of Otto other than his name. But I couldn’t help them.
“Why can’t he shift?” I wanted to know.
Creven frowned. “It’s possible his beast retreated because of the trauma.”
That didn’t sound good. They couldn’t reach his animal to shift and heal, and without that power, he’d stay in his human form and possibly die.
